Paul Hofmann

Paul Hofmann (20 November 1912 in Vienna – 30 December 2008) was an Austrian, later American, author, journalist, linguist, and political activist.^[1] The New York Times, for whom he was a foreign correspondent, described him as fluent in German, Italian, French, and English, and having a command of several other languages that was more than passable, as well as "a broad grasp of history and diplomatic affairs and an often playful curiosity".

Biography

Hofmann was born in

Socialist. He studied law at the University of Vienna after which he became a member of the Christian Socialist Party.^[1]

In 1934 he became a travelling speaker for the

Rome, Italy, only hours before his apartment was raided by the Gestapo.^[1]

In Rome during German occupation, he was drafted into the German Army where he worked as the interpreter for the Nazi commanders, General

Rainer Stahel and General Kurt Mälzer. After contacting members of the anti-Fascist Resistance in Rome he passed them information gleaned from his work, including information about the deportation of Jews and the Ardeatine massacre. Eventually deserting, Hoffman hid with his family in a convent, and later a safe apartment. In November 1944 he was convicted in absentia and sentenced to death for treason by a German military court in occupied northern Italy.^[2]

After Rome was captured by the

war crimes. Linking up with allied journalists in Rome soon after liberation Hofmann became a news assistant at The New York Times' bureau in Rome. He would continue to report for the Times until his retirement in 1990.^[1]

In Rome, he married Maria Anna Tratter and in 1940 they had a son, Ernesto.[1] He also had a son with Christine Lord, Alexander Hofmann-Lord. [1]

After his retirement from the Times, in 1990, he wrote more than a dozen books, including, The Seasons of Rome: A Journal, That Fine Italian Hand, The Viennese and O Vatican! A Slightly Wicked View of the Holy See.

He died in Rome on 30 December 2008.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Tagliabue, John (31 December 2008). "Paul Hofmann, Author and Foe of Nazis, Dies at 96". The New York Times.
^ "Paul Hofmann, who informed on Nazis before becoming a New York Times journalist, dies at 96". Los Angeles Times.^{[dead link]}

[nyt-1] Tagliabue, John (31 December 2008). "Paul Hofmann, Author and Foe of Nazis, Dies at 96". The New York Times.

[2] "Paul Hofmann, who informed on Nazis before becoming a New York Times journalist, dies at 96". Los Angeles Times.^{[dead link]}

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